How To Handle Ricers? Crush Them.

[Velocity]

Cars Crushed In Street Racing Crackdown

Car Culture Meets Car Crusher As Southern California Police Put Squeeze On Street Racing

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/20/...in2959138.shtml

(AP) Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground.

The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.

"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."

Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.

The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.

Nearly 1,000 people _ drivers and spectators _ have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.

Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.

"We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity."

Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.

When police popped open the hood, Hoang said, they found a stolen transmission. Hoang flashed a receipt for the transmission he bought from his father who runs an auto shop and doubted the item was hot.

"Everything on that car was practically brand new," Hoang said as he watched his car get moved to auto death row. "They should take out the stuff that matters, auction it off, and give the money to charity."

Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars _ usually Hondas or Acuras _ are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.

Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen.

Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.

After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall.

"It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last week. "This is where all my time and money went."

Maldonado also said he put plenty of time and effort working on his 1992 black Honda Civic. He was stopped in November by police in what Higbee described as an area where racers gather.

The 18-year-old mechanic said a vehicle identification sticker apparently fell off and without it, police suspected some of the parts were stolen. Maldonado stood several feet away from his car as it was pounded into a heap of metal.

Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California. For the money spent in fines and other penalties _ on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars _ Higbee said street racers could compete aout 250 times a year at a legitimate track.

"If you have to race, take it to a legal venue," Higbee said. "But as long as they keep racing illegally, we keep crushing their cars."

All three men who saw their vehicles destroyed said they believe illegal street racing will continue to prosper across the region.

"It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[miniace]

Holy Sh$t ! Yet another black califonian day !

MINIACE

[Archon]

OMG! What a sin! may all these cops never be able to buy even a bullock-cart in their next life!!!!! i think racers drive more safer than other lazy pigs on the road...coz their reaction time is very small + they love their ride and dont want to scratch the paint...so they drive lot more safer than others...

[GihanFX]

OMG! What a sin! may all these cops never be able to buy even a bullock-cart in their next life!!!!! i think racers drive more safer than other lazy pigs on the road...coz their reaction time is very small + they love their ride and dont want to scratch the paint...so they drive lot more safer than others...

Agree

[Pericles]

OMG! What a sin! may all these cops never be able to buy even a bullock-cart in their next life!!!!! i think racers drive more safer than other lazy pigs on the road...coz their reaction time is very small + they love their ride and dont want to scratch the paint...so they drive lot more safer than others...

U must have missed the bit that said

Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.

Besides, teenagers in souped up cars aren't "racers". They are just kids. U think everyone who comes to race or watch racers has skills? Ask the boy who took that Premio for a swim.

[KLM]

OMG! What a sin! may all these cops never be able to buy even a bullock-cart in their next life!!!!! i think racers drive more safer than other lazy pigs on the road...coz their reaction time is very small + they love their ride and dont want to scratch the paint...so they drive lot more safer than others...

Not really, bra. These guys had their cars impounded because either they were caught street racing, or they had parts of stolen cars in them. If street racers just cruise carefully, people wouldn't die, so lets just debunk the myth that these kids have been wronged, because they haven't been. They were doing something illegal and dangerous, and they paid the price.

All the romance of street racing disappears the moment somebody dies, so more power to the cops if they are forcing these jackasses to take their show to proper tracks instead of suburban neighbourhoods. Its not cool having your car stolen to be parted out, either. If these boys were racing in large, empty industrial roads or in the open countryside which minimized the possibility of bystander fatalities, then I'm sure the cops wouldn't care but racing through neighbourhoods?? Give me a break.

Edited June 22, 2007 by KLM

[Archon]

Errr! .... what should i say...!!! err... but, most of the time ppl who like to race have the talent and skill to drive... they know their car...its dimensions... breaking distance... its all in their blood... so they know how to drive im concerned about the skill and not the age... driving behind the wheel is always a risky business...but if something happens always the driver gets the blame....pedestrians are correct! that is not fare...lets leave the USA ....we know the situation here in SL... Pedestrians are like "haruk" (bulls & cows) they cross the road all the time no matter if the light is green or red... and the yellow line is the place for girls to show off their cloths and ass ...catwalks... it takes about 2min for some ppl to cross the road..yet no cop here bother to fine such basterds! ..... ok lets forgive them assuming that most pedestrians are illiterate about road rules... what about bikers....I HATE THEM SOOOOOO MUCH.... they can cut the double line / single line as they want... S- type overtaking... wrong side overtaking....drive along the opposite lane...Speeding... but never saw a one getting copped... im not jealous.. but i hate them just because i cant safeguard my paint from them ... these basterds scratch the paint!!! so this is the situation...mostly car/van/SUV/heavy vehicle drivers except bus drivers are polite... so here mostly the pedestrians and bikers/3 wheel ppl are the basterds! if you can enlist 1 misconduct of a race driver there are 10 misconducts to be enlisted for the others!

at least racers they keep their ride neat and clean...break,signal,headlights in working condition making at least road worthy!

Edited June 22, 2007 by Archon

[Velocity]

I had wished the US Goverment (USAID) donated those

" B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam " to Sri Lanka before killing those cars

Edited June 23, 2007 by Velocity

[KLM]

One of those recently went into an EK here. That should be a fast car now.

[fuzzo]

i saw a documentary on street racing which mentioned cars being crushed when caught racing.

[Pericles]

Errr! .... what should i say...!!! err... but, most of the time ppl who like to race have the talent and skill to drive... they know their car...its dimensions... breaking distance... its all in their blood... so they know how to drive im concerned about the skill and not the age... driving behind the wheel is always a risky business...but if something happens always the driver gets the blame....pedestrians are correct! that is not fare...lets leave the USA ....we know the situation here in SL... Pedestrians are like "haruk" (bulls & cows) they cross the road all the time no matter if the light is green or red... and the yellow line is the place for girls to show off their cloths and ass ...catwalks... it takes about 2min for some ppl to cross the road..yet no cop here bother to fine such basterds! ..... ok lets forgive them assuming that most pedestrians are illiterate about road rules... what about bikers....I HATE THEM SOOOOOO MUCH.... they can cut the double line / single line as they want... S- type overtaking... wrong side overtaking....drive along the opposite lane...Speeding... but never saw a one getting copped... im not jealous.. but i hate them just because i cant safeguard my paint from them ... these basterds scratch the paint!!! so this is the situation...mostly car/van/SUV/heavy vehicle drivers except bus drivers are polite... so here mostly the pedestrians and bikers/3 wheel ppl are the basterds! if you can enlist 1 misconduct of a race driver there are 10 misconducts to be enlisted for the others!

at least racers they keep their ride neat and clean...break,signal,headlights in working condition making at least road worthy!

Comparing the situ in SL to the situ in this article is an apples and oranges thing man. Besides what KLM said about racing through neighbourhoods, these guys have a CHOICE about going to a track. And they have spent enough money to make it track worthy. In SL, we DON'T have that choice. The only choice we have is to drive 3 hours to Pannala to run in a place with no facilities and the owners are too bothered about their cut. They haven't realised they don't get a cut at all if no one uses the damn track!

And most of the time, ppl who drive their cars every day know their dimensions and braking distance too. U don't have to be a "racer" to know that! And there is no way u can say they know how to drive! Take a guy who has been taught racing driving and ask for a critique of them drive everyday "racers" driving styles. (*koff koff* Bill Gwyn grad would be useful here *koff koff*). There are VERY few instinctive drivers out there who know how to do the right thing. And even then, Experience counts for a lot, so them teenage "racers"... Half them guys can't even control themselves, how they gonna control a car when at its limit?

And what I say, I say thru observation and experience. I could name incidents and places to prove my point, but on this public forum, I'd rather not. I'm sure u woulda heard about some of them too. But this is not the place for that.

[Velocity]

One of those recently went into an EK here. That should be a fast car now.

Machan does the B20 originaly come on the Integra or the Prelude. ?

[sharkster]

Machan does the B20 originaly come on the Integra or the Prelude. ?

should be the prelude... tegs didn't come with 2L engines at all did they?

[Supra_Natural]

I believe the DC 5 did, AFAIK, its running the same motor as the Type R Version of the UK ES series hatchback... and that was a 2.0ltr motor

[crash.n.burn]

The b20 conversion is the CRV block with either a B16A or B18C head. Its appreantly nicknamed the frankenstein conversation since its great torque and power.

Zacki's teg is runing a B20 conversation and so is another ek3 now.

[sharkster]

I believe the DC 5 did, AFAIK, its running the same motor as the Type R Version of the UK ES series hatchback... and that was a 2.0ltr motor

those are K series engines...

[Velocity]

The b20 conversion is the CRV block with either a B16A or B18C head. Its appreantly nicknamed the frankenstein conversation since its great torque and power.

Zacki's teg is runing a B20 conversation and so is another ek3 now.

Thanks Crash,

[Supra_Natural]

those are K series engines...

Sorry... my mistake, not very well informed on the terminology of honda motors..... thanks for the correction

[Devinda_Z]

The video of them crushing the cars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnmjVKlCHB0...ted&search=